Chips at Chepstow

Chepstow Castle

Chepstow is a story of the castle, c.600 years’ growth and development; birth, change and decline. As such it lacks the concentric uniformity of many castles, almost squashed on top of a rise between the River Wye and Chepstow town.

The castle may lack the royal connections and ownership of other British castles, such Kenilworth, Conwy and Carisbrooke, but if you know a thing or two about Medieval history then you are likely to have heard of a few of Chepstow’s occupants.

Those who built and developed the castle include William FitzOsbern (whom is believed to have begun construction of the castle in 1067, a year after William I’s victory at Hastings), famed knight William Marshall, and Roger Bigod (Earl of Norfolk and a significant Marcher Lord during the reign of Edward I). These men all left their own influence on the castle which forms the focus of the guidebook to take you around the site.

The Gatehouse you enter through was commissioned by William Marshall, boasting cutting-edge design for its day – two round towers shoulder the front door with multiple arrow-loops, murder-holes and the odd portcullis for good measure. Fortunately the staff in the entrance/gift shop are welcoming, kind enough to even offer a few suggestions on where to grab lunch in the town – as there is no food available on site.

Fish & Chips in hand I headed to the far end of the castle and parked up on a bench facing out to the river Wye. Visiting on a crisp December afternoon (I visited on Tintern Abbey the morning of), the colossal ruins of stone situated on the cliffs above the river Wye are a sight to behold.

From north to south the brown winter waters of the Wye roll around the sides of the castle cliffs on their way under the old Severn Bridge, into the Severn Estuary. The forests of the Wye valley line the bank, the frontier between England and Wales, stretching back up to Tintern, Monmouth and on to Hereford.

You can almost feel the history thick in the air.

Crowning the assault on the senses was my iPod. This was one of those occasions where music elevates and captures a moment. Given I was still humming ‘Can I Play With Madness’ from visiting Tintern, the playlist stayed on a gothic, metal trend.

I find myself exploring the castle listening to Bruce Dickinson’s The Chemical Wedding – much of the material inspired by the works of William Blake, a seminal figure of the romantic age. The fusion of prophetic, biblical lyrical themes and heavy visceral music within the stone and cold of a winter visit to the castle really suits.

You explore the towers of the keep just to make sure no one is conducting ritual to the sound of Ozzy Osborne’s Mr Crowley. The prospect of medieval fantasy and gothic romanticism is embedded in the roots of heavy metal, with countless bands penning songs about knights, gods, dragons, drinking and fighting.

Both music, and visiting such cultural places are great for rejuvenating the soul. There is a great deal of escapism to it as well, setting the mood and stirring the imagination much like a good story of your own creation.

I would definitely recommend finding what music works for you any time you visit these sites.

---

But anyway, the Castle!…

William Marshal’s constructive legacy bookends the castle. The modern entrance goes through the revolutionary gatehouse of his design, while the far end houses the Upper Barbican (a former entrance gate can be seen sealed off) and ‘Marshal’s Tower’.

The south-west tower will catch your eye, its backless design is understood to have been intentional although no explanation as to why is provided. Given the significant level of defensive coverage the tower gives to this end of the castle, if attackers were to have broken in, this gap would have left the archers inside exposed and vulnerable.

While this end of the castle bristles with defensive features, Marshal’s Tower is likely to have been private apartments for William Marshal, sitting in a more remote area of the complex.

Moving towards the middle of the Castle is to go to its inception. The Upper Bailey and Great Tower are both Norman features that have been added too latterly. The remains of the Great Tower still act as the focus point of the castle - a fact echoed in the guidebook, with the 'Tour of Chepstow Castle' section starting in here and not at either end of the castle. Inside the hall, despite the broken arches and large fire places littering the walls, floors long gone, it is not hard to imagine the feasts and receptions this building would have once hosted.

The changing colour of the building stones show how extensively the tower was added to, giving it a ruinous impression closer to Frankenstein than to a building - There is even a band of orange Roman tile visible on the eastern side.

Despite most of the upper floors, and the entire roof being missing, it still dominates the landscape with its position on the high point of the cliff. You can see the great tower from points all over Chepstow, a purposeful feature, indicative of most castle keeps.

The Middle Bailey provides a large open space with substantial remains of the castle walls and towers on three sides - The north side opens out onto the cliff above the River Wye. Besides walking along the top of the walls and looking out Chepstow towards the Old Severn Bridge, there’s not much point loitering here on a winters day.

The Lower Bailey is very much a Castle within its own rights, with all the usual buildings and structures, most of which remain in a good enough condition to host indoor exhibits and displays. Here you can also find buildings built for Roger Bigod (Earl of Norfolk) along the riverside range. This includes another great hall and plentiful remains of the domestic dwellings of the Earl’s household.

Sadly for me most of this area was closed off for conservation work.

However you could still step in to see the oldest castle doors in Europe. The doors, until 1962, hung in the main castle gateway and have been dated to no later than the end of the 12th Century. These doors are one of Chepstow’s most famous features and are considerably bigger than Britain’s oldest door in Westminster Abbey’s cloister.

You can venture down into the Cliffside to the cellars, providing some nice views along the bank of the castle and across the river. Interestingly, the guidebook tells us that there is no Brewhouse in the castle, wine & ale was kept in barrels in the cellars, as Roger Bigod was entitled to “one-eighth of all the ale brewed in Chepstow”. Lucky bloke.

The last feature to explore is Marten’s Tower. Built in the time of Bigod, it is in most ways like going up and into most castle towers. You can get right to the top of the tower, with a restored timber floor and roof to allow greater access to enjoy the views all around.

---

Chepstow Castle has quite a lot to take in and explore, even if you're not a Medieval architecture snob. For what may be fair to say is a medium sized castle, the 3 distinct sections and 3 most notable owners allow for a great deal of appreciation for castle construction, development and dwelling. There are some decent views to be had across the Wye and over Chepstow. Combined with a trip to Tintern Abbey there's plenty to fill on a day out.

---

Top Tip: Go in Winter for the ambiance

Best Avoid: Driving around Chepstow's one way system because you can't see the sign directing you into the car park